Julie Fowlis at The Ark on Wednesday, October 1, 2008:

On Wednesday, October 1st, I did something I haven't done in ages.  I went to an out of town concert on a week night featuring a performer whose music I didn't know well.  I love finding new music I enjoy, but I'm more apt to try someone new who is playing locally than to travel, as I tend to reserve the time and cost involved with traveling for performers who are already favorites, especially on a week night when I have to get up for work the next morning.  This time, though, I was really inspired to make the trip, so after work that day, I headed to The Ark in Ann Arbor to hear Julie Fowlis perform.

Well, that's not quite true.  I didn't head to Ann Arbor directly from work.  I had to take care of something first.  As fate would have it, I'd noticed one of my turn signal light bulbs on my car was out that morning, and although I'd probably been driving around like that for about a week and not fully realized it, now that I knew about it, I was convinced I would get pulled over and issued a ticket if I let it go, especially driving home from Ann Arbor after dark.  So, I decided it was in my best interest to replace the bulb before making the trip.  It took about an hour and a half to get the bulb purchased and put in, getting me on the road to Ann Arbor with barely enough time to make it to the venue.  The good news was I made it on time, and the bad news was I hadn't eaten dinner because of the time the bulb replacement had taken and knew I'd be quite hungry by the end of the evening.  After all the effort I had made to get there on time, in a legal
 vehicle, and on a nearly empty stomach, I was really looking forward to a good show. 

For those who don't know, Julie Fowlis is a singer and instrumentalist from Scotland, and she sings entirely in Scottish Gaelic. I found her music via MySpace and frequent mentions of her name and amazing talent by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, lead singer of the Irish band Danu, a band I've followed and enjoyed for about 4 years now.  Similar to the way I found Krista Detor via Carrie Newcomer, David Mosher via Kitty Donohoe, and several Earthwork artists via Jen Sygit, I knew I would enjoy an artist spoken of so highly by another artist I enjoy.

Playing with Julie was her husband Eamon Doorley (also of the band Danu) on bouzouki, Jenna Reid (also from Scotland) on fiddle, and Tony Byrne (from Ireland) on guitar.  I've always been drawn to strong and meaningful lyrics, which is one of the reasons I'm a fan of several singer/songwriters, and thus, listening to a vocalist sing entirely in a language I don't understand took some adjusting at first.  I'd heard a handful of songs sung in other languages before (both Muireann and Kitty sometimes sing in Irish Gaelic, for example), but never a full concert.  Julie has a very lovely voice, though, so I was able to focus on the beauty of the songs and think less about not being able to understand the words. 

The accompaniment of those playing with her was also an excellent compliment to her vocals, whistles, and occasional use of the melodeon.  Eamon remains as strong a bouzouki player as I remember from last seeing him play with Danu more than 2.5 years ago, and he has a delightful sense of humor.  Tony didn't speak to the audience at all, but he is an incredible guitar player and added much to the performance.  Jenna sang harmony in addition to playing the fiddle, and while I thought her voice blended with Julie's quite well, it is her fiddle playing that stands out in my memory.  She played in what seemed to be perfect rhythm for all of Julie's songs, and when she and Tony did a duet of their own midway through the second set, she played with such speed and fire that the whole crowd was into it.  When Julie returned to the stage afterward, she told us Jenna had already sold out of the CDs she had brought along on tour, and I could understand why.  Fans of
 fiddle music should definitely hear Jenna play.

One of the many terrific things about The Ark if that artists who play there will often sign CDs and such in the merchandise room after performing, and it gives us fans a chance to meet them up close and in person for a moment or two.  I didn't see Tony when I headed there after the last song had ended, but I was able to chat with Julie, Eamon, and Jenna briefly, all of whom were delightful.  Jenna was very appreciative of compliments on her playing, Eamon vaguely remembered meeting me after a couple of Danu shows I'd seen previously (which totally impressed me given the length of time that had passed and the thousands of folks he's undoubtedly met, often briefly, in his travels), and Julie seemed thrilled I would travel a distance to hear them play in the middle of the week.  For my part, it made an already enjoyable night even better to be able to chat with them and get autographs, and I will definitely see them again if the opportunity arises.

After a quick sandwich at a nearby pub once I left the venue to quiet my growling stomach and give me the energy for the drive home, I hit the road.  I listened to the CD of Julie’s I’d purchased (called Cuilidh) all the way home and was very grateful not to have to worry about getting a ticket along the way!

Best wishes to all!